The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-24
A SKETCH OF HONOLULU.
UnPaved Streets ard Some Modern In
Provements-Hiio-E kaiakaua-

provence nts-HIIo-Eing KaIakaua-
Honolulu has well sheltered harbor,
with depth of about twenty-five feet of
water over the coral reef at its entrance.
The city stands upon a low plain. crescent
shaped, with its opening toward the sea,
about three miles long and one mile wide.
On the lIndward side this plain is in
closed by mountains of considerable ele-
walton, several of which are extinct vol
canoes. Noticeable among these are
Diamond Head and The Punchhowl,
p-oui1ent headlanls az YOU ap; Roach
the city by water. Honolulu las a
population of $1,000. of which 10000
are natives and 10000 Chinese, ia
panese and South Sea Islanders, and
5000 Americans and Europeans, the
latter English, Germans and Portuguese
mainly. Tho city is irreguIarly laid out.
Ias streets are unpaved, and there are few
Sidewalks; hence it is very dusty i'll dry
and very nuidy in rainy weather. 1t is
a1indantly supplied with good water,
bat Is wholly unPEOvisiel with any sys-
tenn Of drainage or sewerage. The tele-
phone has been introduced, and Is in very
general use
The residences are widely scattered, are
mostly frame of one story, with broad
veransias about them, and surrounded by
ample grounds Hastily ornamental AMI
cnIboweretl within n rich profusion of
trop!ca! trees, shrJibbery and flowing
plants. Aside from the royal palace. there
are no public buildings having any claims
to- special notice. There is small mu-
scum continuing poor collection of an
Gent weaI ponS and other native articles. n
small public library, and the Young Mems
Christian Association has a lecture hall
and reading room. There are daily and
weekly newspapers published in both the
English and Hawaiian languages.
The descendants of the early mission
aries now resident here. together with the
better class of Americans who have since
arrived, constitute a highly cultivated, re-
fined and agreeable society, ready to give
cordial reception and generous hospitality
to AL visitors manifestly worthy of their
attention. There Is another class, quite
as numerous, who neglect no opportunity
to sneer at and denOunce the missionaries,
and who constitute the patrons of saloons,
gaming places and low dives, Of which
Honolulu is 10y no means destitute. Iiilo
On Hawaii is the second town i'll size and
importance. Ii is beautifully situated
upon Byron bay, and contains n popula-
lation of between 5000 and 1000. The
other towns are incOnsiderable villages.
King Halakara is so years of age, is
dissoiute and hard drinker. and is fast
trcatiinS the footsteps of his predecessor.
LunaliIo, who died from the effects of
dissipation at the age of 49, He had no
children. The heir apparent is his sis
ter. Well advanced in life, after whom
|. there is Il girl IL years of age, upon
whose death the royal family becomes
extinct. What is to he the future of
these islands Ninc-tcntils of all the
most intelligent citizens are republican at
heart, and would rejoice to see the lIa-
waiian Islands annexed to the United
States. From their position off our west
ern coast anil on the great highway of
commerce between our Pacific States and
Australia, China and Japan-as an inn
pOrtant coaling and naval station for our
vessels III the Pacific, it is of the first i'm
portIucc tl.at they shall not lie permitted
to pass under the control OF any Euro
pCan government. Both England and
France are keenly watchful, are DESTROYS
and, no doubt, hopeful, of their acquisi-
tom whenever n change occurs.-Hono-
lilu Cor. Cincinnati Commercial Gazette